Question: On Marika's $8^{\text{th}}$ birthday, in 2004, her father said, ''My age is now four times your age.'' In what year will Marika's father be able to say, ''My age is now three times your age,'' on Marika's birthday?
Answer: If Marika is 8 years old, and her father is four times her age, then her father is $4\cdot 8 = 32$ years old. So now $x$ years after 2004, Marika will be $8+x$ years old and her father will be $32+x$ years old. If the father's age is three times Marika's age then: \begin{align*}
32+x &= 3(8+x)\\
32+x &= 24+3x\\
2x &= 8\\
x &=4
\end{align*}So the year is $2004+4 = \boxed{2008}$.